1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable bathing cushion. More particularly, the present invention is a pillow comprising an outer portion and a depressed central portion wherein the length of the outer portion may be adjusted to fit an infant or pet.
2. Prior Art
There are a number of patents that show or relate to baby or pet pillows. Some of the support pillows are designed particularly for infants, some have combination uses which include a baby or a small animal, and some are adapted to be utilized during bathing. It is believed to be novel to provide a contoured adjustable baby or pet bathing cushion with a substantially oval shaped outer portion and a depressed central portion, the substantially oval shaped outer portion being provided with adjustable tabs to facilitate adjustment of the length of the cushion to accommodate an infant, a larger baby, or a pet. A preliminary patentability search was conducted on this invention and the following listed references were uncovered in the search.
Patent No.InventorIssue DateDes. 282,427O'SullivanFeb. 4, 1986Des. 298,198O'SullivanOct. 25, 1988Des. 375,557DixonNov. 12, 1996U.S. Pat. No. D446,675 SStraubAug. 21, 20011,769,722SuttonJul. 1, 19304,383,713RostonMay 17, 19834,606,087AlivizatosAug. 19, 19864,980,937Mason, et al.Jan. 1, 19915,088,141Meyer, et al.Feb. 18, 19925,165,130WendlingNov. 24, 19925,193,238CluteMar. 16, 19935,216,772CluteJun. 8, 19935,272,780CluteDec. 28, 19935,363,524LangNov. 15, 19945,439,008BowmanAug. 8, 19955,586,351IveDec. 24, 19965,551,109Tingley, et al.Sep. 3, 19965,699,569Schwarz-ZöhrerDec. 23, 19975,826,287TandrupOct. 27, 19985,979,981Dunne, et al.Nov. 9, 1999U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,165 B1MorgilloDec. 31, 2002U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,665 B1RossMar. 12, 2002U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,590 B1LeachApr. 29, 2003U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,366 B1LiedJan. 14, 2003U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,810 B2MangiaracinaJun. 10, 2003U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,150 B2Matthews Brown, et al.Feb. 22, 2005The above patents are not considered to be particularly pertinent to the present invention.
Design Pat. Nos. Des 282,427 and Des 298,198 to O'Sullivan and Des 375,557 to Dixon all disclose a substantially rectangular-shaped pillow having a depressed central section but do not feature any adjustability to accommodate various sizes of babies or pets.
Design U.S. Pat. No. D446,675 S to Straub shows an infant head positioner which does not appear to be related in any way to bathing, nor does it contemplate support or elevation of the legs/feet of an infant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,713 to Roston discloses an orthopedic infant support similar to Straub in that it has portions for surrounding the torso of an infant. In addition, the head support section forms a U-shape. There appears to be no corresponding foot support or leg elevation, although the supports may be moved according to the size of the infant, nor does the patent contemplate bathing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,087 to Alivizatos discloses a convertible body support pad filled with polystyrene beads which may be employed in a plurality of uses. However, the use of polystyrene beads in conjunction with items used in infants of one year or younger is prohibited by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), which regulates safety of consumer goods. Therefore, Alivizatos would not be employed for the purposes disclosed herein.
Mason, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,937 discloses an infant sitting support ring having a raised outer oval-shaped portion in combination with a depressed central portion, the raised outer portion comprising a soft cushiony material to receive the head of an infant if the infant falls backward or to the side, thus preventing a blow to the infant's head.
Meyer, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,141 discloses a therapeutic pillow for providing head and neck support. The pillow has a substantially rectangular shape with a depressed central portion, and “concaved” sides for proper shoulder-neck alignment. This pillow appears to be suited to an adult user.
Lang U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,524 is a multi-adjustment cervical pillow similar to the pillow disclosed by Meyer, et al. The Lang pillow employs a malleable content such as buckwheat hulls for adjustability. The pillow is further provided with a plurality of snap-type fasteners which allow the pillow to be adjusted into various configurations.
The remaining patents disclose various support mechanisms for securing infants in a seated or reclining position, some with elevated head configurations. However, none of these patents appears to be suited for infant bathing purposes.